CPR3701 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE EXAM GUIDE
(2025 EDITION)
Compiled from Study Guide (June 2022), Joubert 13th ed., Tutorial Letter
101 (2024), CPA 51 of 1977, and Constitution (1996) By The Brain-Lab
Tutors
Compiled by The Brain-Lab Tutors
,ABOUT THIS GUIDE
This Exam Guide has been created specifically for UNISA CPR3701 students preparing for the
2025 examination.
It combines all essential information from your official Study Guide (166 pages) and the
prescribed Joubert 13th edition textbook, cross-checked with Tutorial Letter 101 and the
Criminal Procedure Act, so that you can study smarter, not longer.
It gives you:
Everything you need to tackle the exam with confidence
1. Complete coverage of all 11 Learning Units from the Study Guide.
2. CPA and Constitutional section references exactly as required in exam answers.
3. Joubert 13 ed. page references and up-to-date case law to strengthen arguments.
4. Life-based examples to help you explain legal principles in plain, relatable terms.
5. Exam-type questions after each unit, with model-answer outlines showing how to
structure responses.
6. “Quick 30-Minute Revision” sheet at the end for final-hour memory refresh.
7. A short Brain-Lab Tutors message and contact link for additional support or one-on-
one help.
How to use it
• Before revision: Read one Learning Unit at a time and highlight CPA sections and cases.
• Before the exam: Practice the exam-type questions using the model-answer outlines.
• On exam day: Memorize the “Quick 30-Minute Revision Summary” only, it covers 80
% of typical questions.
• During writing: Always mention one CPA section, one constitutional right, and at
least one case in every answer.
Exam focus
According to Tutorial Letter 101 (2024), the CPR3701 exam tests:
• Understanding of procedure and fairness principles rather than rote memorization.
• Application of the Constitution (s 35) and CPA sections to given scenarios.
, • Awareness of recent case law and procedural reforms.
• Ability to analyze factual situations and argue lawfully for or against the accused.
Remember
Criminal procedure is not about catching criminals; it’s about ensuring justice is done lawfully.
Master the steps from arrest to appeal and you can answer any question the paper gives you.
LEARNING UNIT 1 – A BASIC INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE
1.1. PURPOSE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Criminal procedure is the law in action - it governs the steps that must be followed from the
moment a crime is suspected until the matter is finalized in court.
According to the Study Guide (p. 4–7):
Criminal procedure provides the framework that ensures the criminal justice system operates
fairly, efficiently, and constitutionally. It determines how the State enforces its power against
individuals.
Cross-reference: Joubert (13th ed., Chapter 1, p. 1–3)
“Substantive criminal law defines crimes and punishment, but criminal procedure prescribes the
method of enforcing them.”
In short:
• Substantive law = defines crimes (e.g., theft, murder)
• Procedural law = defines how those crimes are prosecuted and adjudicated.
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Criminal procedure serves two core objectives:
1. To maintain public order and protect society – by ensuring offenders are punished
lawfully.
2. To protect the rights of individuals – by ensuring justice is not achieved through
unlawful means.
CPA + Constitution cross-link:
(2025 EDITION)
Compiled from Study Guide (June 2022), Joubert 13th ed., Tutorial Letter
101 (2024), CPA 51 of 1977, and Constitution (1996) By The Brain-Lab
Tutors
Compiled by The Brain-Lab Tutors
,ABOUT THIS GUIDE
This Exam Guide has been created specifically for UNISA CPR3701 students preparing for the
2025 examination.
It combines all essential information from your official Study Guide (166 pages) and the
prescribed Joubert 13th edition textbook, cross-checked with Tutorial Letter 101 and the
Criminal Procedure Act, so that you can study smarter, not longer.
It gives you:
Everything you need to tackle the exam with confidence
1. Complete coverage of all 11 Learning Units from the Study Guide.
2. CPA and Constitutional section references exactly as required in exam answers.
3. Joubert 13 ed. page references and up-to-date case law to strengthen arguments.
4. Life-based examples to help you explain legal principles in plain, relatable terms.
5. Exam-type questions after each unit, with model-answer outlines showing how to
structure responses.
6. “Quick 30-Minute Revision” sheet at the end for final-hour memory refresh.
7. A short Brain-Lab Tutors message and contact link for additional support or one-on-
one help.
How to use it
• Before revision: Read one Learning Unit at a time and highlight CPA sections and cases.
• Before the exam: Practice the exam-type questions using the model-answer outlines.
• On exam day: Memorize the “Quick 30-Minute Revision Summary” only, it covers 80
% of typical questions.
• During writing: Always mention one CPA section, one constitutional right, and at
least one case in every answer.
Exam focus
According to Tutorial Letter 101 (2024), the CPR3701 exam tests:
• Understanding of procedure and fairness principles rather than rote memorization.
• Application of the Constitution (s 35) and CPA sections to given scenarios.
, • Awareness of recent case law and procedural reforms.
• Ability to analyze factual situations and argue lawfully for or against the accused.
Remember
Criminal procedure is not about catching criminals; it’s about ensuring justice is done lawfully.
Master the steps from arrest to appeal and you can answer any question the paper gives you.
LEARNING UNIT 1 – A BASIC INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE
1.1. PURPOSE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Criminal procedure is the law in action - it governs the steps that must be followed from the
moment a crime is suspected until the matter is finalized in court.
According to the Study Guide (p. 4–7):
Criminal procedure provides the framework that ensures the criminal justice system operates
fairly, efficiently, and constitutionally. It determines how the State enforces its power against
individuals.
Cross-reference: Joubert (13th ed., Chapter 1, p. 1–3)
“Substantive criminal law defines crimes and punishment, but criminal procedure prescribes the
method of enforcing them.”
In short:
• Substantive law = defines crimes (e.g., theft, murder)
• Procedural law = defines how those crimes are prosecuted and adjudicated.
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Criminal procedure serves two core objectives:
1. To maintain public order and protect society – by ensuring offenders are punished
lawfully.
2. To protect the rights of individuals – by ensuring justice is not achieved through
unlawful means.
CPA + Constitution cross-link:
